


Coping Mechanism

by CascadingElegance



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Drinking, Drinking to Cope, F/M, Mentioned Character Death, Polyamory, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 09:39:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14691510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CascadingElegance/pseuds/CascadingElegance
Summary: Drinking away the pain of loss, one shot at a time.





	Coping Mechanism

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still trying to cope with all the shit that happened in Infinity War, so, here we go! It's short as hell, and unedited, but I like it.

Three shots in rapid succession ran down her throat, burning perfectly their entire way. She had never been a drinker, never liked the taste of hard liquor, but seeing the man she loved turn to ash right in front of her was enough to change that.

There were people who drank for fun, and then there was her. She drank to forget the things she’d seen, to let her mind slip into a blissful state of unaware. Tony warned her that if she kept up her drinking at the pace she was at now, she’d kill herself. She didn’t care, because then she’d be with him.

The fourth shot was pressed to her lips, and she was about to tip it back when she heard the footsteps of another person nearby. Drinking alone was a dangerous thing, that’s what her dad always said. But yet, here she was, in the darkness of the Avengers Facility kitchen, alone.

Steve walked into the kitchen and flicked the light on, and as he did, her hand set the shot down. Her head tipped to the side just enough to look at him, just enough to let him see the puffy red rims of her eyes and the dried tear stains that slid down her cheeks. 

“He wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself.” Steve was the first one to speak, as he walked over and took the bottle of whiskey out of her reach. She didn’t protest, only stared at him with the same broken expression she’d had for weeks. 

“What would he want then?” Her voice sounded foreign to her, and that might have been because she hadn’t used it in days. She had the tendency to hole herself up when things got tough, when she didn’t want people to see her, and that was what she had been doing.

She froze when she felt Steve’s hand on her shoulder, drawing her body in close to his. It was a loose hug, but it was enough to show her that he was there for her. After all, they’d lost the same man. The same Bucky.

“He’d want you to try your hardest to be happy, in any way possible.” He flashed her a sad smile, running his thumb over her cheek. That broke her, and she shoved her face into his chest harshly, quiet sobs wracking her entire body.

Her hands gripped the back of his shirt hard, and she was sure he could feel her nails digging into his skin. But, if he did, he didn’t say anything. “Steve.” Her voice cracked, mind searching for something to say. Anything at all.

The man ran his fingers through her hair and shook his head. “We can talk in the morning. Come to bed. You haven’t laid down with me in weeks.” It was his turn to sound pained.

“That’s because it’s not the same without Buck.” She rasped, and Steve pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I know, darling. But please?” He looked down at her, hope in his eyes.

It felt like forever to Steve until she nodded, and he gently guided her back to their shared room. He tucked her in and slipped in next to her, wrapping her up tightly in his arms.

“I love you.” Steve whispered into her hair.

“I love you, too.”


End file.
